Research Progress on the Application of Novel Non-thermal Sterilization Technologies in Fermented Fruit and Vegetable Products

Fermented fruit and vegetable products are an important part of traditional fermented food in China. During production, fresh vegetables and fruits are used as raw materials. The fermentation is conducted by the interactions between microorganisms including lactic acid bacteria and fungi which are naturally carried by raw materials. After fermentation, the composition and quantity of microorganisms in fruits and vegetables tend to become out of control, which often leads to post-acidification, softening, spoilage and other problems. Therefore, the development of sterilization technology suitable for fermented fruit and vegetable products has important industrial value. Compared with the destructive effect of traditional heat sterilization, the non-thermal sterilization technology without heating can not only kill the spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms, but also reduce the impact on probiotics, and greatly alleviate the deterioration of fermented fruit and vegetable products. Therefore, non-thermal sterilization technologies have gradually become one of the research hotspots in the field of fermented fruit and vegetable products sterilization. In this paper, the application progress of common non-thermal sterilization technologies in fermented fruit and vegetable products is reviewed. The sterile effect and influencing factors of non-thermal sterilization technologies in fermented fruit and vegetable products are summarized. Its influence on quality and safety attributes of products is discussed. The aim of this study is to provide a theoretical basis for the large-scale application of non-thermal sterilization technologies in the industrial production of fermented fruit and vegetable products.